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Sunday, October 04, 2009

Being the genealogy geek that I am, I thought it would be fabulous to spend the day visiting some Utah Ghost Towns including Silver City. Silver City was a booming mining community established in 1870 and was part of the Tintic Mining District. The area was rich in silver and at its peak had a population around 1500. The town was abandoned in the 1930's. All that remains are some foundations. It's my understanding that the remaining buildings burnt in a brush fire several years ago.My great great grandparents, Victor Reno and Nellie Bune are listed as living in Silver City in the 1880 US Census. I can't tell you what a thrill it was to think that I was standing on the same ground that they were on in 1880. My gg grandfather immigrated from France and my gg grandmother immigrated from the Netherlands, Holland. I would love the entire story as to how they got from there, met and married, and ended up in Silver City, Utah.

We also visited Mammoth, Utah in which there are still some residents. Honestly, this is a creepy place. My husband pointed out a can which was rolling uphill. Scary stuff.Both Silver City and Mammoth are just a few miles south of Eureka, Utah. Eureka is populated and has that "small town" feel. There are also mine remains, enormous amounts of tailings and old buildings in Eureka. We visited the old mine where the old mine shaft is covered with metal mesh and steam escapes its vast depth. Throwing rocks down the shaft we never did hear them hit the bottom. I can't imagine climbing onto one of those OLD elevator cars and slowly being lowered into that shaft. Talk about frightening!

Our last stop of the day was to Dividend, Utah. Dividend was a very profitable mine of silver and lead just east of Eureka. Much of the old mine buildings remain although they are crumbling. The homes were moved around the 1940's after the mine lost all profitability.

Last but not least, if anyone is interested in investing in some property in this area we did find a nice little fixer-upper for sale. :)

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